Tsai made the remarks while delivering a report to the
Legislative Yuan's Interior Affairs Committee on the possible impact
of the upcoming referendum on cross-strait relations.

In the referendum to be held alongside the presidential election
on March 20, voters will be asked two questions -- whether Taiwan
should buy more anti-missile batteries in the face of mainland
China's intensified military threat and whether Taiwan should
negotiate a viable cross-strait interactive mechanism on an equal
footing.

As the nation's top mainland policy planner, Tsai will represent
the government in a televised debate with independent Legislator Sisy
Chen on the second question regarding cross-strait negotiations for
establishing an interactive mechanism on March 14. Chen will
represent the "nay" side in the debate.

Noting that the upcoming "negotiation" referendum supersedes the
"independence vs. unification" ideological disputes among major
domestic political parties, Tsai said the referendum results will
help assuage domestic inter-party confrontation.

Moreover, Tsai said, the "negotiation" referendum will help forge
a national consensus on future government policy toward mainland
China. "If a majority of voters give a positive answer to the
question, the referendum result will become an important element to
maintain long-term stable cross-strait ties."

The referendum will also help narrow the distance between the
government and the electorate, Tsai said, adding that no matter which
party is in power in the future, the referendum results can serve as
a mandate for the government to negotiate an interactive mechanism
with the mainland under the principle of parity.

Since mainland Chinese leaders have on many occasions said they
pin their hopes on the people of Taiwan for cross-strait
reconciliation, Tsai said the referendum results will force mainland
authorities to more realistically address cross-strait affairs.

Tsai further said that even if fewer than half of the voters cast
a "yes" vote in the "negotiation" referendum, the result might mainly
reflect procedural, rather than substantive, disputes. But she didn't
elaborate on how she reached such a conclusion. Instead, she said
that should that be the case, the government will continue to promote
the establishment of a cross-strait interactive mechanism based on the
principles of "peace, dignity and parity."